Signaling by Interleukins
(R-HSA-449147)

Species Homo sapiens

Summation

Interleukins are low molecular weight proteins that bind to cell surface receptors and act in an autocrine and/or paracrine fashion. They were first identified as factors produced by leukocytes but are now known to be produced by many other cells throughout the body. They have pleiotropic effects on cells which bind them, impacting processes such as tissue growth and repair, hematopoietic homeostasis, and multiple levels of the host defense against pathogens where they are an essential part of the immune system.